IAF marks 2 yrs of Balakot op with further enhancements
NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has strengthened its offensive capabilities significantly since the effective bombing of Jaish-e-mohammed (targets in Pakistan’s Balakot exactly two years ago, and the months-long border standoff with China saw IAF flex its muscle in the Ladakh theatre where it deployed cuttingedge weaponry that was inducted after the cross-border strike on February 26, 2019.
IAF’S Mirage-2000s struck targets in Balakot in response to the Pakistan-backed Pulwama suicide attack in Kashmir in which 40 CRPF troopers were killed on February 14.
Frontline platforms, inducted over the last two years, form a critical part of IAF’S force projection in eastern Ladakh, and have demonstrated its capability to carry out day-and-night, allweather combat missions in the sensitive theatre, said people familiar with the developments.
The platforms inducted after the Balakot raid include Rafale fighter jets, missiles, smart air-toground weapons, AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, and CH-47F (I) Chinook multi-mission helicopters. To be sure, these acquisitions were planned years before the Balakot strikes, but were inducted during the last two years. Referring to some of the new acquisitions, experts said IAF’S fighter, helicopter and transport fleets played a crucial during the Ladakh standoff that began last May. A disengagement process underway in the sector has raised hopes for the resolution of the border row, but de-escalation of the conflict is still a long way off.
IAF’S fighter fleet, reinforced with new Rafale jets, and the Apache attack helicopters sent a strong message to the Chinese, while Indian transport aircraft played a crucial role in the swift mobilisation of troops and equipment to forward areas, said Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd), additional director general, Centre for Air Power Studies.
He made a special mention of the capability brought to the table by the Rafale jets armed with ultra-modern armament such as Meteor beyond-visual-range missiles and Hammer air-to-ground munition — capabilities that were not available during Balakot.
The need for Rafale jets with their superior weapons was felt during the dogfight with the Pakistan Air Force on February 27, a day after the Balakot raid.
A professional force learns from every engagement, and the Balakot strike was no different, said Bahadur.